The Unkindness of Ravens
by The Agent X
Summary: So there's a new villain in town. So what? But... What's with all the animals? Why is he so impossible to find? And why do these things always happen to Raven?
1. Murder

**The Unkindness of Ravens**

By

Agent X

The Impossible?

**A/N:** I have no idea where this is came from, or where it's going.

**Disclaimer:** TEEN TITANS and all related characters and elements are copyrighted trademarks of DC COMICS.

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CHAPTER ONE

_ -(Of Crows)-_

The last thing they needed was a new super villain. So far this week they had been graced with attacks from Mumbo, Control Freak and Mad Mod, stopped four attempted robberies by the H.I.V.E _and_ decommissioned another painful performance by Punk Rocket. It had been a long week. So the report that there was a new 'bad guy' in town that was busily spreading his terror over in the city's west half was none too welcome by the crime fighting teens.

_And to think there was once a time when I actually wished for something to happen_, Raven thought to herself as the T-car raced speedily down the highway.

It wasn't long before they pulled in at the scene of his supposed strike and were shocked to find just how serious it had been. The remains of a wide, one-story building was in front of them, scorched dark as night against the bright blue day.

"Dude, where are we?" Beast Boy breathed.

It was Cyborg who replied calmly, "'Little Rainbow' Kindergarten. Corner of Reightman and Westcastle Lane." They began to move closer.

"Where's the Principal?" Robin asked them, "The teachers? The kids?" but as soon as he spoke they noticed the form of a rather squat woman hurrying over towards them, waving. "Well, that answers that" he concluded.

"At least they are safe," Starfire agreed as the woman finally caught up with them.

"I'm so glad you're here," she puffed, not bothering with a greeting or introduction. Raven already liked her. "We managed to evacuate before he came, but we weren't that far away when the explosion went off and I've been searching the meeting area but we're still short one group of children."

She looked pleadingly at the Titans. Robin nodded to her.

"Don't worry, we'll find them ma'am." She thanked him profusely and toddled back to wherever it was that the rest of the school was hiding. Robin turned to them all.

"An explosion…" he mused. Before he could get any further Raven interrupted.

"I can sense traces of magic on the building. I don't think the explosion was caused by a bomb."

"Ok. We'll have to go about this systematically then. I'll be checking inside the building for clues and any hidden weapons. Cy and BB, you'll need to talk to the staff and try to find out more about the mysterious destroyer. Raven you can scan the outside of the grounds for any traps or any magical residue, and Star I need you to search the surrounding area for any sign of the missing children." He finished.

"Ready?"

They all nodded grimly.

"Titans Go!"


	2. Nuisance

CHAPTER TWO

_-(Of Cats)-_

She walked cautiously round the corner and into a rubble strewn courtyard. Eyes that glowed with white energy surveyed the place. Her mind was fixed on the task at hand: doggedly seeking out any indication of the presence of more magical landmines.

That was what had caused her not to notice the presence of another within the courtyard. There was the scuffle of boots behind her and she whirled around to find herself glancing down at the coal-smudged face of a little child. It stared at her. She stared at it. And it wasn't until the thing had begun a sort of retreat that she realised there were more of them. A lot more.

There was a pack of about fifteen of them standing in a huddle further ahead. _If this is where the missing group is_, she thought as she gazed around the rest of the deserted yard, _then where is the teacher?_

But Raven pushed the thought aside and approached them. She supposed that she'd have to take them back. But as she got closer the sound of sobbing reached her ears and she started towards the centre of the circle of kids, where the noise was coming from.

Raven knelt so that her eyes were level with that of the 5 year old in front of her. The girl had ash all over her cheeks from the explosion and her hair was frizzled and slightly burnt, but other than that she seemed fine, just distressed.

"Mummy!" she howled, shoulders shaking with her sobs, "I want mummy! Mu-u-mmy-eeee!" The clenched little fists rubbed fiercely at her eyes as she wailed. The other children milling about swarmed around Raven and her companion, some sobbing in sympathy and others just watching silently as the crying continued.

Eager to make the shouting stop, the dark Titan tried her hand haltingly at reassurance. She had to be careful or she might scare the girl. It certainly wouldn't be the first time it had happened.

"Your mother will be here soon." She droned, "Why don't you come out to the front with me?" The girl ignored the suggestion and stayed firmly planted on her kiester in the middle of the desecrated courtyard and bawled her eyes out.

"B-but I n-need her nooowww!" She squalled. Raven winced at the noise.

"Why is that?"

Silently the girl pointed to her knee. Raven followed with her gaze to see that the surface of the girl's kneecap was badly grazed. The pre-schooler in front of her then proceeded to wail again. All other children had gathered around closer, curious to see what Raven would do. The older girl glanced over their heads and around the courtyard. There was no one else around.

As she gently placed her hand on the bloody knee displayed before her, her little companion stopped crying completely and stared in fascination at the periwinkle light that had begun to surround Raven's hand. Then the glow ended and the knee was repaired.

"Are you ready to go now?" Raven patiently asked her. The little girl nodded at her shyly, but when Raven got up and took a few strides through the small crowd she turned to find her seated as before. She was being stared at.

The child got up and toddled over, arms outstretched in a way that clearly demanded '_pick me up_'. The dark Titan hesitated again, then slowly bent to brace the girl and lift her to her chest. As she was about to turn though, there was a tug on her cape. A (she estimated) 4 year old boy had the cloth clutched in his hands and stared up at her wide eyed. Raven stared back.

_This isn't good_.


	3. Parade

CHAPTER THREE

_-(Of Elephants)-_

And so, it was as though draped with a carpet of youngsters that Raven finally managed to stomp round the corner and to the front of what _used_ to be a school. This was where all her fellow Titans were able to see her.

At first they had been facing in the opposite direction discussing something, but there was enough chatter from the children, not to mention her own stomping, that the other Titans knew she had arrived and turned to greet her with the latest news.

She never got it.

Robin had begun with a "Raven, I–" but stopped abruptly as he and the others slowly took in the sight that was in front of them. There was a little girl in pigtails sitting on her shoulders pulling her hair, and a smaller boy in overalls hanging 'round her neck. Two or three of the kindergarteners had glued themselves to her side, hugging her 'round the waist and thighs. A rather chubby little boy was riding one of her feet, causing it to drag as she walked. Others had latched themselves to her already full arms. Those that had found no room to attach themselves to her person were gathered 'round her as tightly as possible. Some clutched at her cloak, while others stepped on it, making her jerk and stumble slightly on her way.

Overall this painted a very funny picture of Raven, especially with her standing in the middle of all this, looking around with a gaze that could curdle milk and the 5 year old child that had started it all sleeping peacefully in her arms.

Starfire's exclamation of joy was expected. As was the boys reaction of doubling over with laughter, though unlike the Tamaranean it was not due to the fact that they found the sight "the most adorable, _kishnad_ view" they had ever seen.

"That's enough." Raven told them severely. "They're the missing group I found out back, I– " But the message didn't seem to be getting across over the mixed laughter and cooing. Her scowl deepened.

Robin calmed first. "Sorry Raven, " he began, "it's just that… this isn't something we expect to see everyday. Or… well… ever."

She merely stood there as the others regained their breath and then came over to help pry the children off her, including the little girl that had awoken and was squirming in her grip. She was put down gently and ran over towards a lady racing up the drive. As the rest dispersed to the worried parents that had scrambled up to collect them Raven glanced suspiciously over to Robin. He was still chuckling.

"Stop it" she said crossly, then added with a glare "I blame _you_ for this."

His response was that of a dashing smile in her direction then nothing more as he turned to finish the report he was giving a police officer.


	4. Parliament

CHAPTER 4

_-(Of Owls)-_

A heavy silence.

"But _why_ a kindergarten?"

The Titans had been gathered together in their lounge for an hour, ever since their return from the pre-school. This particular question had been repeated several times already.

"Maybe the guy who did it had a bad childhood." Suggested Beast Boy from his relaxed position on the couch. He was stretched comfortably from one end to the other, and was obviously growing bored with the perpetual circle of the proceedings.

"I mean," he continued, "I'm sure there's been plenty of people who wanted to burn down a school before. I probably would've been one of them if I'd ever gone."

He grinned at them. Robin frowned back.

"There's been plenty of people who have actually done what you suggest, Beast Boy, and none of them needed magic to do it."

"Science experiment gone wrong?" The green teen shrugged.

"No," Raven affirmed, butting in before Robin could get even more frustrated and possibly yell something he might regret, "The attack was definitely intentional."

There was silence again.

"So… why a _kindergarten_?"

"Well, other than BB's revenge idea could be… well, it could just be that we have a psycho on our hands. Someone who lives for wanton destruction. I mean, why else would you wanna attack little kids?" Cyborg looked over as Raven again dismissed the idea.

"No," she repeated, "Who ever did this allowed enough time for all the staff and students to evacuate. If destruction were their objective, then they would have embraced the destruction of life – especially as a magic user. If they had hoped to inspire fear, again it would have been more effective to demonstrate their power via loss of life."

"So then, " Cyborg began curiously, "why would I attack a kindergarten, with no intent to harm, or cause fear or, infact, make any kind of personal gain at all, apparently?"

"But Cyborg, I am quite sure that you _would not_ attack the education centre of small, young earthlings." Starfire replied firmly.

"Uh… thanks, Star."

"No" said Robin, ignoring the exchange and shaking his head, "we're missing something. Something big. The culprit is still on the loose, and no one saw him. We have no idea as to who he could be. This act was obviously planned, it wasn't random. I have feeling we'll be hearing about this guy again soon."

He fixed them all with a serious stare.

"Robin?" asked Starfire curiously, "what makes you so sure it is a male?"

Robin stared at her for a second, before smiling. As soon as his expression changed the whole atmosphere of the room seemed to lighten. Raven wondered if that had been Starfire's intention. She rather figured it had been. She mentally appraised the girl.

"It's a gut feeling." Robin said non-committal, then he turned to the rest of them. "Titans, dismissed. And there's no training this evening. I think we should grab this break while we can"

Beast Boy sprang up from the couch before the last sentence was even finished.

"Woohoo!" he cried, "Dude, this is awesome! Super Robot Ninja Monkeys Go, here I come!"

"Glorious!" cried Starfire, "I have had a need to perform some household duties, such as the buying of the groceries, for some time. And then I shall be able to prepare our evening meal."

Cyborg got up slowly and stretched, "Well, I've been meaning to look at some adjustments for the T-car. The new parts I ordered in have been sitting in the garage and gathering dust for the past few weeks." He started towards the door, then paused, "You comin', Dark girl?"

Raven hesitated before nodding.

"In a minute." She intoned, so he nodded back and headed on his way.


End file.
